The present invention relates generally to data processing systems, methods, and computer program products, and more particularly to data processing systems, methods, and computer program products for delivering information.
An important form of communication between businesses and customers has traditionally been xe2x80x9cpaper-basedxe2x80x9d communication, such as letters and bills mailed via a postal service. For example, it is estimated that merchants spend about $10 billion per year for printing and mailing of bills to customers. It is also estimated that banks account for about 6% of all first-class U.S. mail and that insurance companies and credit card companies account for about 4.5% and 4%, respectively.
However, significant interest has been expressed recently regarding alternative, non-paper methods of communication. The term xe2x80x9calternative messagingxe2x80x9d refers to the distribution of information using alternative delivery media, including, but not limited to, facsimile transmissions (fax), electronic mail (e-mail), Internet, on-line banking, and the like. For example, in 1995, there were 550,000 on-line banking users performing about 45 million transactions. It has been estimated that these figures might grow to 3.9 million users conducting about 600 million transactions by the year 2000. The World Wide Web (hereinafter the xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d) has also become a popular medium for the exchange of information and for electronic commerce. Literally millions of new Web pages have been developed in the past several years as more and more individuals, businesses and organizations have discovered the power of Internet marketing. One reason for the Web""s popularity is that it facilitates interactive communications between businesses and their customers.
Alternative messaging may also be more cost effective than traditional paper-based communications, such as mail, not only because of the higher cost of paper, printing and postage, but also because of the speed of electronic communications. Electronic financial transactions can occur almost instantaneously and have historically had fewer errors than comparable paper-based transactions. Additionally, error resolution time has been historically less than that for comparable paper-based transactions.
Unfortunately, alternative messaging has to date been met with resistance from both businesses and consumers for various reasons. Businesses have found it difficult to adapt legacy information systems to different delivery media with a consistent format. Additionally, many businesses may be reluctant to expend large amounts of money on upgrading existing communications infrastructures. Concern has also been expressed over the ability to ensure integrity of information transmitted via alternative messaging systems. xe2x80x9cMail-piecexe2x80x9d integrity methods and systems are well established for traditional paper-based mail communications, but are virtually non-existent for non-paper communications. The term xe2x80x9cmail-piecexe2x80x9d generically refers to any single unit of communication (i.e., a piece of mail, an e-mail, fax, etc.).
Consumers have also shown a reluctance to embrace alternative messaging because of the perception that information transmitted via e-mail or over the Web is less secure than traditional paper-based mail. In addition, traditional mail-merge technologies may allow businesses to somewhat xe2x80x9cpersonalizexe2x80x9d communications with consumers via paper-based mail. Unfortunately, the extension of personalized communications to alternative messaging media may not achieve the same level of personalization as traditional paper-based mail.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to facilitate alternative messaging between businesses and their customers wherein a variety of delivery media can be utilized to communicate information.
It is another object of the present invention to facilitate interactive alternative messaging between businesses and their customers.
It is yet another object of the present invention to facilitate maintaining the integrity of information transmitted via alternative messaging systems.
It is also an object of the present invention to facilitate the provision of a consistent interface and/or presentation of information, regardless of the medium in which information is delivered.
It is yet another object of the present invention to promote personalized marketing and communications in alternative messaging systems.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by methods, systems and computer program products for delivering information to a user in one or more preferred delivery media. When more than one delivery media is utilized, the present invention facilitates maintaining a consistent format among the various delivery media. A user profile, indicating a user""s preferred delivery medium (or media), is retrievably stored, preferably within a data processing system. The user profile can be modified by the user or by the provider of information, or both. The user profile can also be updated automatically using information contained within the request for information. Preferred delivery media includes, but is not limited to: e-mail; browser-readable documents such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents; fax; printed copy; and mail.
When a user request for information is received, the user""s stored profile is searched to determine the preferred delivery medium (or media) within which to deliver the requested information to the user. Alternatively, a user may specify a preferred delivery medium in the request for information. Regardless of how the preferred delivery medium is determined, the requested information is then retrieved and formatted according to the preferred delivery medium. If the preferred delivery medium is e-mail, the retrieved information is formatted as an e-mail message and delivered to the user as an e-mail message. If the preferred delivery medium is HTML, the retrieved information is formatted as an HTML (or other browser readable) document and delivered to the user as an HTML document. If the preferred delivery medium is fax, the retrieved information is formatted as a fax document and xe2x80x9cfaxedxe2x80x9d to the user. If the preferred delivery medium is printed copy, the retrieved information is formatted as a printed document and printed on a printer accessible by the user. If the preferred delivery medium is mail, the retrieved information is formatted as a paper document and mailed to the user.
Preferably, information formatted into an e-mail message or HTML document is delivered from a data processing system incorporating the present invention to a user data processing system in communication therewith. Preferably, information formatted into a fax document is delivered from a data processing system incorporating the present invention to a user facsimile machine in communication with the data processing system. Preferably, information formatted into a printed copy is delivered from a data processing system incorporating the present invention to a user printer in communication with the data processing system. Preferably, information formatted into mail is printed as a paper document and mailed to the user.
The present invention is particularly useful with mail inserting devices and systems. A data processing system incorporating the present invention can work in conjunction with a mail inserting device to print the retrieved information as a paper document, insert the printed document into an envelope, and deliver the envelope containing the printed document to a postal service for subsequent delivery to the user.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the integrity of information delivered to a user can be verified, regardless of the delivery medium. Integrity verification may include, but is not limited to, determining whether the information was delivered to the correct user, whether the correct information was delivered to the user, and whether all of the information was delivered to a user (i.e., whether all of the pages of a document were delivered). With respect to mail as a delivery medium, integrity verification may include ensuring that a paper document inserted into an envelope via an inserting device contains the requested information in its entirety and that it is formatted correctly. Furthermore, the present invention may work in conjunction with document printing systems upstream of mail inserting devices to insure that documents are streamed correctly towards the mail inserting devices.
According to another aspect of the present invention, additional, non-requested information may be included with the requested information in the preferred delivery medium. Exemplary additional information includes advertising and the like. Typically, the additional information is selected based on information contained within the user profile.
Preferably, encryption and other security techniques are incorporated into requests for information from a user and into the delivery of information to a user. For example, it is preferred that information is encrypted prior to its delivery to the user if the preferred delivery medium is e-mail or HTML.
The present invention can allow a customer to designate what type of delivery medium he/she is to receive information in. Furthermore, the present invention can ensure that the information delivered to a customer has a consistent presentation and format regardless of the delivery medium. The present invention can also allow information to be tailored to individual customers. Businesses can engage in xe2x80x9cone-on-onexe2x80x9d marketing with the efficiencies and cost-effectiveness of mass marketing.